HDFC Bank Diners Club Premium Credit Card – Benefits, Fees & Eligibility

HDFC Bank Diners Club Premium Credit Card

Introduction

The HDFC Bank Diners Club Premium Credit Card is a premium offering designed for individuals seeking exclusive rewards and extensive travel benefits. With a joining fee of ₹2,500 plus applicable taxes, cardholders receive a welcome benefit of 2,500 Reward Points. This card allows users to earn 4 Reward Points for every ₹150 spent on retail purchases, which can be redeemed for various options including air tickets, hotel bookings, air miles, products from a catalogue, and cashback. It also provides up to 6 complimentary access to over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide annually. The card's renewal fee, also ₹2,500 plus taxes, can be waived upon spending ₹3 lakhs or more in the preceding anniversary year. Additional perks include comprehensive insurance coverage, zero liability protection against lost or stolen cards, and a fuel surcharge waiver, making it a valuable choice for travelers and those looking to maximize savings.

Welcome Benefits

• 2,500 bonus Reward Points as a welcome benefit, credited after successful payment of the joining fee.
• 2,500 Reward Points as a renewal benefit, credited after payment of the renewal fee.

Fees

• Joining Fee: ₹2,500 + taxes (or GST).
• Renewal Fee: ₹2,500 + taxes (or GST).
• Spend-Based Waiver: The renewal fee can be waived off if you spend ₹3 lakhs or more in the preceding 12 months or anniversary year.
• Rewards Redemption Fee: ₹99 + applicable taxes.
• Foreign Currency Markup: 2% on all foreign currency transactions + applicable taxes. This is considered a low cross-currency conversion charge.
• Interest Rates: 3.6% per month (equivalent to 43.2% annually) will be charged on any outstanding amount carried beyond the bill due date.
• Fuel Surcharge: 1% fuel surcharge waiver on all fuel transactions between ₹400 to ₹5,000.
• Cash Advance Charges: A fee of 2.5% of the cash amount withdrawn, with a minimum of ₹500, is applicable on all cash withdrawals.
• Late Payment Charges: Ranges between ₹100 to ₹1,300, depending on the outstanding amount.

Rewards

• General Earning:
  • Earn 4 Reward Points for every ₹150 spent on domestic and international retail purchases.
  • This offers savings of up to 1.3% on all spends.
  • No reward points are earned on fuel transactions.
  • The maximum reward points that can be earned in a statement cycle is 50,000, effective October 2023.
  • Reward Points expire after 2 years from the accumulation date.
• Travel:
  • Up to 6 complimentary access to over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide every calendar year, including both domestic and international lounges.
  • Lounge accesses exceeding the maximum limit will be charged at the prevailing lounge rate.
  • Complimentary lounge access is only for Primary Cardholders.
  • Redeem reward points for flights and hotel bookings.
  • Convert reward points to miles on partner airlines like Jet Airways, Air India, and Singapore Airlines.
• Lounge Access:
  • Up to 6 complimentary domestic and international airport lounge accesses every year.
  • Lounge access is provided to Primary Cardholders only.
  • Any lounge accesses beyond the complimentary limit will be charged.
• Insurance:
  • Air accident insurance cover worth ₹1 crore (or $125,000).
  • Emergency overseas hospitalization cover of up to ₹25 lakhs (or $31,250).
  • Travel insurance cover of up to ₹50,000 (or 625) on baggage delay, capped at 10 per hour, restricted to 8 hours.
  • Credit Liability Cover of up to ₹9 lakhs.
  • Medical emergency cover up to ₹25 lakhs.
  • Credit shield of ₹9 lakhs.
• Lifestyle:
  • Enjoy 24x7 concierge service for reservations for travel needs.
• Fuel Surcharge Waiver:
  • 1% fuel surcharge waiver on all fuel transactions between ₹400 and ₹5,000.
• Zero Liability Protection:
  • The card provides zero liability protection against a lost or stolen card, provided the loss is reported to the bank in a timely manner.

Rewards Redemption Guide

• Reward points can be redeemed against various categories with different values:
  • SmartBuy (Flights/Hotels): 1 Reward Point = ₹0.50.
  • Airmiles: 1 Reward Point = 0.50 AirMile (for redemption across Singapore Airlines, Air India, and Jet Airways).
  • Product Catalogue (vouchers/products): 1 Reward Point = up to ₹0.35.
  • Cashback: 1 Reward Point = ₹0.20.
• For flight and hotel bookings, card members (Diners Privilege/ Diners ClubMiles/ Diners Premium/ Diners Rewardz) can redeem up to a maximum of 70% of the booking value through Reward Points. The remaining amount must be paid via Credit Card.
• Cardholders can redeem reward points against air tickets and hotel bookings across over 150 airlines.

Card Eligibility Criteria

• Salaried Individuals:
  • Age: Minimum 21 years to Maximum 60 years.
  • Income: Net Monthly Income > ₹60,000 per month.
• Self-Employed Individuals:
  • Age: Minimum 21 years to Maximum 65 years.
  • Income: ITR > ₹7.2 Lakhs per annum.

Documents Required

• Identity Proof: Aadhar Card, PAN Card, Voters’ Id, Driving Licence, etc.
• Address Proof: Aadhar Card, Utility bills, Voters’ Id, Passport, Driving Licence, etc.
• Income Proof: Latest 3 months’ salary slips/bank statements or Latest ITR.

Card Review

The HDFC Bank Diners Club Premium Credit Card is highly suitable for individuals who desire a premium lifestyle and seek comprehensive travel benefits alongside significant savings opportunities. With its welcome benefit of 2,500 Reward Points and an earning rate of 4 Reward Points for every ₹150 spent on retail, it provides a solid foundation for reward accumulation. The card excels in its travel offerings, providing up to 6 complimentary accesses to over 1,000 lounges globally each year, which is a significant advantage for frequent travelers. The option to waive the annual fee by spending ₹3 lakhs or more makes its premium fee justifiable for active users. The included insurance covers for air accidents, emergency hospitalization, baggage delay, and credit liability add a crucial layer of security. While the card offers various redemption options including cashback, it's noted that the direct cashback rate might be lower, and there are no specific complimentary movie, entertainment, or dining offers. Despite these minor limitations, the HDFC Diners Club Premium Credit Card stands out as an excellent choice for those prioritizing travel, insurance, and a rewarding spend program.

Pros

• Get 6 complimentary access to more than 1000 lounges worldwide.
• Renewal fee waiver on spending ₹3 lakhs in the year.
• Low cross-currency conversion charges with a 2% forex markup fee.
• Exclusive insurance benefits.
• 1% fuel surcharge waiver.
• Zero liability protection.

Cons

• No complimentary movie ticket, entertainment, and dining offers.
• Reward rate could have been a bit better for general spends, despite the up to 1.3% savings.
• No reward points on fuel transactions.
• Complimentary lounge access is only for Primary Cardholders.

Important Product Details

• Welcome benefit of 2,500 bonus Reward Points.
• Earn 4 Reward Points for every ₹150 spent on retail purchases.
• Cardholders can redeem reward points against flight/hotel bookings across 150+ airlines.
• Up to 6 complimentary lounge accesses every year to over 1,000 airport lounges all across the world.
• Exclusive insurance benefits including air accident cover, emergency hospitalization, and baggage delay cover.
• 1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions between ₹400 and ₹5,000.
• Renewal fee waiver if ₹3 lakhs or more is spent in the previous anniversary year.
• Zero liability protection for lost/stolen cards.
• Low foreign currency markup fee of 2%.
• Maximum reward points earning cap of 50,000 in a statement cycle (effective October 2023).
• Reward Points expire after 2 years from the accumulation date.
• No complimentary movie ticket, entertainment, or dining offers.
• No reward points earned on fuel transactions.
• Complimentary lounge access is restricted to primary cardholders only.

Other Details

• Concierge Service: 24x7 concierge service available for travel needs; contact 1800 209 4006 (Toll Free).
• Credit Limit: Generally ranges between ₹1.5 lakhs to ₹5 lakhs. The actual limit may vary depending on factors such as payment history, credit score, and income. Cardholders can request a higher limit after responsible usage.
• Card Activation & PIN Generation:
  • Via HDFC Bank ATM: Select the option for credit card PIN generation from the main menu (registered mobile number required).
  • Via internet banking or HDFC Bank mobile banking app: Log in and find the 'Manage Your Card' section for PIN generation.
  • Via HDFC Bank credit cards customer care.
• How to Apply:
  • Online: Visit the HDFC Bank’s official website, navigate to 'Credit Cards' under the 'Borrow' section, find the 'HDFC Bank Diners Premium Credit Card' under 'Others', click 'Know More' then 'Apply Online', and fill in the required details.
  • Offline: Visit your nearest HDFC Bank branch and fill in a physical application form.
• Application Status Check:
  • Via HDFC Bank's application tracking page (requires application number, registered mobile number).
  • By contacting credit card customer care.
  • By visiting the nearest HDFC branch.
• Bill Payment Methods:
  • Internet banking: Log in to your account, go to 'Credit Card' section, and select 'Credit Card Payment'.
  • HDFC Bank Billdesk portal: Enter credit card number, email address, etc.
  • NEFT: For payments from non-HDFC Bank accounts.
  • Digital payment services: Via apps like Paytm, PhonePe, etc.
  • Offline: Via cash or cheque at an HDFC Bank branch.
• Net Banking Registration:
  • Visit the official HDFC Bank website, go to 'Ways to Bank', select 'Online Banking', and click 'Register Online' under 'Credit Card Net Banking'. Enter required details to register.
• Customer Care:
  • Phone: 1800 266 4332.
  • Email: customerservices.cards@hdfcbank.com.